Softail lowering kit.........pros and cons
#51
10-01-2013 | 03:54 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
Likes: 88
From: Detroit
Geez, I bet even my timid ol' lady goes fast enough to have a serious confrontation between hard parts and pavement if either of our bikes was lowered!
Last edited by Warp Factor; 10-01-2013 at 04:03 PM.
#52
10-01-2013 | 04:21 PM
Novice
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Sydney, Australia
These tyres are the original ones from factory.
Im in Sydney Australia there is a guy that does white walls, red , orange silver etc.
This guy does this on our old Australian muscle cars.
Any guy over in Mexico that does it on car tyres can do it on bike tyres.
I needed to give the bike some life so i though the tyres will look pretty cool.
I also changed my leads to screaming eagle orange.
Here's a picture from when i first got them done.
I must say it definitely turns heads.
#54
10-02-2013 | 01:07 AM
NOT A MODERATOR
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 26,447
Likes: 20,425
From: I'm on ADVRider
Good grief...there's one in every crowd... 
Don't like lowered suspensions---I like them RAISED. Why? Because I expect my Harley to go good around corners and not scrape pegs, cases and so forth, perhaps flip me off the bike at speed.
The whole thing about "A Softail looks GOOD lowered" is really a way of saying you bought the wrong bike. You shouldn't have bought a Softail, you should have bought a Rigid Hardtail. Then you could have put on a tire hugging rear fender and a sissy bar that looks integrated into the lines well. And the bike would not bottom out in corners because it has ZERO suspension travel back there.
What I love instead about the Softails is the whole clean look of the lines of the frame. Very triangulated. Very attractive. Very even, uh, sexy. I'm thinking about chroming mine.
Go look at the original Godfather of all Softail wanna-be Hardtail bikes---the Captain America Peter Fonda Hardtail in Easy Rider. Note it is RAISED for more ground clearance. Sure it looks great with a tire hugging fender but that thing rides like sh*t... Even Fonda hated the damn thing. "It was just a poseur for show. We took it around in a trailer and I only rode it for fifteen minutes tops. A crap bike."
So my two cents is don't lower it. Raise the front a touch and get a mean "stance." A Softail will really run great in the twisties if you just set it up right. Put some good shocks on it and get four inches or more of rear travel. My Deuce has over five inches travel in the front. Go modern...Make your Harley a Road Bike, not a touchy dangerous trailer queen.
The whole thing about "A Softail looks GOOD lowered" is really a way of saying you bought the wrong bike. You shouldn't have bought a Softail, you should have bought a Rigid Hardtail. Then you could have put on a tire hugging rear fender and a sissy bar that looks integrated into the lines well. And the bike would not bottom out in corners because it has ZERO suspension travel back there.
What I love instead about the Softails is the whole clean look of the lines of the frame. Very triangulated. Very attractive. Very even, uh, sexy. I'm thinking about chroming mine.
Go look at the original Godfather of all Softail wanna-be Hardtail bikes---the Captain America Peter Fonda Hardtail in Easy Rider. Note it is RAISED for more ground clearance. Sure it looks great with a tire hugging fender but that thing rides like sh*t... Even Fonda hated the damn thing. "It was just a poseur for show. We took it around in a trailer and I only rode it for fifteen minutes tops. A crap bike."
So my two cents is don't lower it. Raise the front a touch and get a mean "stance." A Softail will really run great in the twisties if you just set it up right. Put some good shocks on it and get four inches or more of rear travel. My Deuce has over five inches travel in the front. Go modern...Make your Harley a Road Bike, not a touchy dangerous trailer queen.
#55
10-02-2013 | 03:23 AM
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 5
From: London, UK
This is why I ended up splashing out for a shotgun. I love to slammed look, but even at the stock height, I scrape floorboards and swingarm bag on the twisties. The shotgun allows me to raise the height up slightly and firm up the suspension for more "spirited" riding whilst still getting the mean slammed look when parked up. But I didn't buy a Harley to race round corners, so I'm happy with the compromise.
#57
10-02-2013 | 06:30 AM
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 5
From: London, UK
#58
10-02-2013 | 06:42 AM
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,122
Likes: 4
From: Florida
#59
10-02-2013 | 07:49 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 16
From: Illinois
There is no way to go to a lowering kit, of any kind or brand, and not have it effect your ride quailty and comfort level. It just is what it is. To lower it with an air ride system is the only way to go effectively and to improve the ride quality and comfort level. I also don't have to say which one either, many forum members now has that system on their bikes and everyone seems to be very happy with it and once you have experienced yourself you will know why we all say it's worth every penny all of us paid for it. You also won't find better customer service anywhere than you will with JD. Also, yes. There is a HUGE difference between the SS and Legend.
#60
10-02-2013 | 08:53 AM
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 366
Likes: 0
From: central WA
I lowered my '04 standard 2" with the kit from Dead Creek and I'm real happy with it. The ride is somewhat stiffer, but not enough for me to complain. We have fair to middling roads here in WA...I've never bottomed out and I've rode 12,000+ miles since installation. I have, however, scraped an exhaust pipe twice on tight turns and riding 2up.
I am very sure that the more expensive suspension mods are a more comfortable ride, but I ain't spending that kinda coin no matter if Jesus Christ hisself tells me I won't be sorry.
I am very sure that the more expensive suspension mods are a more comfortable ride, but I ain't spending that kinda coin no matter if Jesus Christ hisself tells me I won't be sorry.